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Festival

Guzuyaki Matsuri

A festival centred on a giant papier-mache fish, or guzu, paraded through the streets, danced with and burned at Fuhashi Shrine, rooted in local legend.

29–30 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

Festival

Ogi Minato Matsuri

A summer festival in the port town of Ogi on Sado Island, with traditional dances, portable shrines and fireworks rooted in prayers for maritime safety.

29–30 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Hassaku Festival

An autumn festival at Yamashiro Onsen features a parade with a large lion and traditional Urayasu Dance of gratitude performed at Hatori Shrine for the harvest.

1 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

Festival

Owara Kaze no Bon (Harvest Wind Festival)

A harvest festival in Yatsuo: lantern-lit dancers in matching happi coats move through the streets to shamisen and kokyu music over three September days.

1–3 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetToyama

Festival

Kakunodate Festival

A traditional autumn festival with 400 years of history, held in September in Kakunodate, featuring large wooden floats decorated with samurai warrior dolls.

7–9 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSemboku · Akita

Festival

Katakai Matsuri

The autumn festival of Asahara Shrine at Ojiya in Niigata, where the fireworks are offerings and include the four-shaku shell, said to be the world's largest.

11–12 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOjiya · Niigata

Festival

Morioka Fall Festival

One of Iwate's most enduring celebrations, this autumn festival originated as prayers for harvest, now featuring ornate floats and traditional parades.

14–16 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMorioka · Iwate

Festival

Kuji Autumn Festival

This festival in Kuji, a coastal city in northern Iwate, over 650 years old, gives thanks for the harvest and prays for protection and good fortune.

17–20 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKuji · Iwate

Festival

Tono Festival

Two days in September when more than fifty groups bring out the performing arts of Tono in Iwate, with a mass deer dance and horseback archery at the shrine.

19–20 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTono · Iwate

Festival

Ishioka Festival

Around thirty lion carts and twelve tiered floats fill central Ishioka for three days each September, at one of the three great festivals of the Kanto region.

19–21 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetIshioka · Ibaraki

Festival

Ohara Hadaka Festival

The 'Naked Festival' features mikoshi carried into the sea, a boisterous parade through town, and shrines tossed high against fireworks and songs of joy.

23–24 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetIsumi · Chiba

Festival

Benkei Matsuri

Tanabe in Wakayama holds a two-day festival for Benkei, the warrior monk it claims as its own, with a play at the shrine and 600 dancers in wooden clogs.

2–3 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTanabe · Wakayama

Festival

Gobo Festival

Each October in Gobo, Wakayama, the region's largest autumn festival fills the streets with rival parish groups, dance, and towering, massive drum floats.

4–5 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetGobo · Wakayama

Festival

Matsuyama Dogo Autumn Festival

Ancient shrine festival featuring portable shrines carried through Matsuyama's districts in ritual performances believed to enhance spiritual power.

5–7 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMatsuyama · Ehime

Festival

Nagasaki Kunchi / Okunchi

This 380-year-old shrine festival blends Japanese folk dances with dragon processions and Dutch-influenced performances held across four venues in Nagasaki.

7–9 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNagasaki

Festival

Sakura Autumn Festival

Each October the old castle town of Sakura fills with towering doll floats, portable shrines and Edo-descended music for three days of procession.

9–11 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSakura · Chiba

Festival

Kanuma Autumn Festival

An autumn festival held in October with origins tracing to a 1608 rainmaking ritual, featuring 27 ornately carved musical floats from the Edo period.

10–11 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKanuma · Tochigi

Festival

Dogeza Festival

An October festival in which a portable shrine is carried in a procession led by participants dressed as samurai, while local residents bow along the streets.

15 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNiimi · Okayama

Shinto in Japan | Hey Japan!

Festival

Guzuyaki Matsuri

A festival centred on a giant papier-mache fish, or guzu, paraded through the streets, danced with and burned at Fuhashi Shrine, rooted in local legend.

29–30 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

Festival

Ogi Minato Matsuri

A summer festival in the port town of Ogi on Sado Island, with traditional dances, portable shrines and fireworks rooted in prayers for maritime safety.

29–30 Aug 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSado · Niigata

Festival

Hassaku Festival

An autumn festival at Yamashiro Onsen features a parade with a large lion and traditional Urayasu Dance of gratitude performed at Hatori Shrine for the harvest.

1 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKaga · Ishikawa

Festival

Owara Kaze no Bon (Harvest Wind Festival)

A harvest festival in Yatsuo: lantern-lit dancers in matching happi coats move through the streets to shamisen and kokyu music over three September days.

1–3 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetToyama

Festival

Kakunodate Festival

A traditional autumn festival with 400 years of history, held in September in Kakunodate, featuring large wooden floats decorated with samurai warrior dolls.

7–9 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSemboku · Akita

Festival

Katakai Matsuri

The autumn festival of Asahara Shrine at Ojiya in Niigata, where the fireworks are offerings and include the four-shaku shell, said to be the world's largest.

11–12 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetOjiya · Niigata

Festival

Morioka Fall Festival

One of Iwate's most enduring celebrations, this autumn festival originated as prayers for harvest, now featuring ornate floats and traditional parades.

14–16 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMorioka · Iwate

Festival

Kuji Autumn Festival

This festival in Kuji, a coastal city in northern Iwate, over 650 years old, gives thanks for the harvest and prays for protection and good fortune.

17–20 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKuji · Iwate

Festival

Tono Festival

Two days in September when more than fifty groups bring out the performing arts of Tono in Iwate, with a mass deer dance and horseback archery at the shrine.

19–20 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTono · Iwate

Festival

Ishioka Festival

Around thirty lion carts and twelve tiered floats fill central Ishioka for three days each September, at one of the three great festivals of the Kanto region.

19–21 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetIshioka · Ibaraki

Festival

Ohara Hadaka Festival

The 'Naked Festival' features mikoshi carried into the sea, a boisterous parade through town, and shrines tossed high against fireworks and songs of joy.

23–24 Sep 2027Exact date not confirmed yetIsumi · Chiba

Festival

Benkei Matsuri

Tanabe in Wakayama holds a two-day festival for Benkei, the warrior monk it claims as its own, with a play at the shrine and 600 dancers in wooden clogs.

2–3 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetTanabe · Wakayama

Festival

Gobo Festival

Each October in Gobo, Wakayama, the region's largest autumn festival fills the streets with rival parish groups, dance, and towering, massive drum floats.

4–5 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetGobo · Wakayama

Festival

Matsuyama Dogo Autumn Festival

Ancient shrine festival featuring portable shrines carried through Matsuyama's districts in ritual performances believed to enhance spiritual power.

5–7 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetMatsuyama · Ehime

Festival

Nagasaki Kunchi / Okunchi

This 380-year-old shrine festival blends Japanese folk dances with dragon processions and Dutch-influenced performances held across four venues in Nagasaki.

7–9 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNagasaki

Festival

Sakura Autumn Festival

Each October the old castle town of Sakura fills with towering doll floats, portable shrines and Edo-descended music for three days of procession.

9–11 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetSakura · Chiba

Festival

Kanuma Autumn Festival

An autumn festival held in October with origins tracing to a 1608 rainmaking ritual, featuring 27 ornately carved musical floats from the Edo period.

10–11 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetKanuma · Tochigi

Festival

Dogeza Festival

An October festival in which a portable shrine is carried in a procession led by participants dressed as samurai, while local residents bow along the streets.

15 Oct 2027Exact date not confirmed yetNiimi · Okayama

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